My decision is to send you Charity. On my authority, she has the presumed Need-to-Know anything concerned with any of your projects, to the same degree as Ed Stevens. I have instructed her, should something come to her attention that she feels has missed Ed’s, to first bring it to his attention, and then to yours, and finally, if it comes to this, to communicate directly with Pete Douglass or me.
How you arrange for this is of course up to you, and I
don’t think I have to tell you this project review function of hers is to go no further than you or Ed.
I am, of course, David, uncomfortable with keeping you in the dark, and can only hope that you will forgo judgment until the time when I can tell you what’s been going on; when, I really believe, you will understand why all this has been necessary.
You may have noticed the strikeovers and other symptoms of amateur typing. This is because neither Miss Broyle, nor even the ever-faithful Chief Ellis, are in on this either, and this has been writ by hand by
Your old friend,
David Bruce recognized that, despite Wild Bill Donovan’s liberally dispensed soft soap, his reaction to learning that the President of the United States, an old friend, had decided there were some secrets “with which he could not be trusted was mixed hurt and anger.
And he realized he was hurt and angered by learning that Ed Stevens, of whom he was very fond and whom he considered a true friend, had been involved in a months-long deception.
And he realized that he was humiliated to learn that while he couldn’t be trusted with this great goddamned secret, whatever it was, the longhaired blonde who had crossed the Atlantic with Top Secret–Personal–Eyes Only documents in her girdle enjoyed the confidence of the President. And Donovan Bruce was a man of great will. He forced the anger and humiliation down, succeeding after a long moment in convincing himself that the President must have his reasons, and that it was his duty not to question his judgment.
Capt. Helene Dancy entered the office with three cups of coffee and coffee accoutrements on a tray.
“Miss Hoche,” David Bruce said, “I presume you are familiar with the Eyes Only that deals with you?”
“In general terms, Sir,” Charity Hoche said.
“I haven’t read it. I’ve read the other two.”
“I think you should read it,” Bruce said, and handed it to her. He heard the sound of his voice, and told himself to be careful. He was still acting emotionally.
He looked at Helene Dancy and saw in her eyes that she sensed that something extraordinary was going on. He looked again at Charity Hoche as she read Donovan’s letter. Twice, her eyebrows went up, apparently in surprise.
Then she looked at him, and met his eyes.
“Captain Dancy,” Bruce said, “would you ask Colonel Stevens to come in, please?”
“Yes, Sir,” Helene Dancy said.
“Would you like me to log those Eyes Onlys in?”
Meaning, of course, Bruce thought, that your curiosity is aroused and that you’ll get a quick look at them between here and the safe.
“You can take these two, Helene,” Bruce said, looking at Charity Hoche.
“I’m not sure about the third.”
“I don’t mean to be forward, Sir,” Charity Hoche said, “but I think it would be better if Captain Dancy saw that letter.”
Bruce handed it over. He saw that Charity Hoche was watching Helene Dancy’s face as carefully as he was for her reaction. And they were both disappointed.
Her face showed no reaction. She did look at Charity, however, as she folded the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope.
“May I make a suggestion?” Capt. Dancy asked.
“Certainly,” Bruce said.
“If you were to tell Lieutenant Jamison that Miss… or Lieutenant, which would probably be better… that Lieutenant Hoche will be devoting half of her time to dealing with female personnel at Whithey House for me, there would be no reason not to go ahead and send her out there as originally planned.”
“Good idea,” Bruce said after a moment.
“We’ll just have to get Jamison some other help.”